So I'm trying to bypass my router, just for kicks.
I thought it'd be pretty easy, just connect the router-modem wire to the computer, and I did just that, but I'm not getting an internet connection.
My usual setup:
- Incoming wire connected to a modem.
- Modem connected to a router.
- Router then connected to computers (either wireless or through wires, both work)
What I did:
- Found the wire connecting modem to router, unplugged it from the router and connected it to the computer.
The computer recognizes that I've switched to wired, 'identifies' the connection, but fails to access the internet. That's weird, because it's working perfectly well while using the router.
While troubleshooting, it says "Local Area Connection doesn't have a valid IP configuration."
Any ideas?
51 Answer
Connecting your cable modem directly to a PC is sometimes a necessary troubleshooting step - to ascertain whether problems are with your router or not, for example.
Assuming this is a cable modem, and that it behaves like mine: Cable modems will only recognize a single device behind it - if you want to share the connection, a router does that and is expected to be that single device.
Once it has recognized that single device, at least on mine, you have to power cycle it before switching the device it's connected to. Disconnect modem, power cycle it, wait for it to come back up, then connect new device.
If it still doesn't work, you may need to set the MAC address of the NIC you are connecting to the cable modem to the same one as your router temporarily.
And when you are done on the PC and want to connect it back to the WAN port on the router, you'll need to power cycle it again.
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